Converting a string to a number by using INT (no hash method)

[Leonard, Arah]

> I just need a way to CONVERT a string(absolute path) to a 4-digit unique number with INT!!! That's all i want!! But i cannot make it work :(
> 
> And the best part is that "that" number must be able to turn back into a path.
> 
> This way i DON'T EVEN HAVE TO STORE THE ACTUAL HTML PAGE'S ABSOLUTE PATH!!!!
> 
> 1. User requests a specific html page( .htaccess gives my script the absolute path for that .html page) 2. I turn the path into a 4-digitnumber 3. i store that number to the database. I DONT EVEN HAVE TO STORE THE PATH TO THE DATABASE ANYMORE!!! this is just great!

Without involving some kind of lookup table/map service to store the paths (which would entirely defeat the purpose) what you are ranting about is technically impossible.  If you tried really really hard you *might* be able to convert a string that long into some kind of 4-digit integer checksum, but you would *never* be able to convert that back into a file path.  Nor would it be guaranteed to be unique.